


The Banya

by SlantedKnitting



Series: pornalot 2017 (challenges) [3]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Bath Houses, M/M, Sex Work, Spanking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-27
Updated: 2017-08-27
Packaged: 2018-12-20 13:47:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11922180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlantedKnitting/pseuds/SlantedKnitting
Summary: Arthur doesn't really come to the bathhouse for the massage. He comes for Merlin. And those birch branches.Historical AU.





	The Banya

**Author's Note:**

> This is the longer version of my entry for pornathon's week 3 challenge: [Kink Link](http://pornalot.livejournal.com/10694.html)! The shorter version is [entry 10 here](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11858151?view_full_work=true).
> 
> This is basically set during the Russian Revolution, and Arthur is a member of the Bolshevik Party and Merlin is a bathhouse (banya) attendant with political opinions.

Arthur took a deep breath and tried to let the oppressively hot, humid air relax his muscles, but it was no use. He was too excited to properly relax. This was the highlight of his week, every week. And this week in particular, Arthur really needed this. He'd had nothing but tense, desperately important and frustrating meetings all week, and he just wanted a bit of time for himself, to reset for the next week.

The heat was making it difficult for Arthur to keep track of time, so when Merlin didn't show up after he got comfortable, he took a look around.

He was naked and lying face-down on a wooden bench in the middle of a small bathhouse room, nothing but a thin towel between his body and the old, splintery oak.

Each private room in the _banya_ had a theme, but he had never been in this one before.

There were statues of stallions in all four corners of the room, each one reared up in a different position being tamed by a nude, muscular man. The sculptures were beautiful and powerful and raw. The horses had so much energy and the trainers had so much strength and Arthur _really_ needed Merlin to hurry up.

Finally, just as Arthur was thinking about getting up to go find him, Merlin came in. Like Arthur, he wasn't wearing anything.

"Sorry," Merlin said, closing the door behind himself.

"I hope you weren't with another customer," Arthur said sternly.

Merlin's lips twitched as if he might smile, but he simply shook his head. "Of course not."

Arthur gave him a long look before resting his head down on his arms. "Very well."

Merlin hummed as he got prepared, and, despite the effort it took to do anything in the overwhelming heat, Arthur found himself tapping his feet with impatience.

"Merlin—"

"Hush," Merlin said, coming to stand near Arthur's bench. He rubbed something sweet-smelling over Arthur's back and worked it in with his rough hands, spreading it up to Arthur's shoulder and down to his lower back. Then, he poured out more and used it to massage Arthur's arms, legs, feet, and hands.

Arthur breathed deeply as Merlin worked, determined to get his money's worth of relaxation. He could feel his muscles loosening of their own accord and couldn't deny that it felt good to let go of the tension he usually carried.

When Arthur was sufficiently oiled up, Merlin stepped back to prepare the birch branches. Arthur shifted on his bench, reaching under himself to adjust his hardening cock. Merlin said nothing and simply waited for Arthur to get settled before returning to his work.

Merlin shook the branches in the air above Arthur's back, wafting the hot air down towards Arthur's slippery skin. Then, he lowered the branches and started hitting them against Arthur's skin. It was gentle at first as he moved slowly from Arthur's head to Arthur's feet, and the branches made a satisfying ruffling noise.

On the next round, Merlin hit a little harder.

For the third round, Merlin had Arthur turn over. Arthur complied and let Merlin massage his front with the branches, and then his arms, and then his legs.

Then, Merlin had Arthur turn onto his stomach again, and began the whole thing again, this time hitting so hard that Arthur was biting back moans.

Finally, Merlin motioned for Arthur to sit up.

Arthur immediately dropped his feet to the floor and stood, reaching out for Merlin's wrist. Merlin met his gaze and nearly smiled again, but settled for nodding towards the wall.

Arthur bit down his own smile and braced himself on the wall with both hands. He arched his back a little, pushing his ass out, and waited.

He was about to get impatient again when Merlin struck. The first hit of the branches was soft and unsatisfying, so Arthur waited again.

Merlin's next strike was harder. The third one came almost immediately after, and then it was all a blur. He alternated between the firm branches and his firmer hand, and pretty soon Arthur was blinking back tears at how much each blow stung.

"Are you ready?" Merlin asked, his voice low in Arthur's ear.

Arthur shook his head but Merlin reached around for his cock, anyway. His own cock was hard, pressing into Arthur's back, but this wasn't about him. At least, not yet.

Arthur huffed as Merlin started stroking him with one hand and continued spanking him with the other. He wondered which was Merlin's dominant hand—wondered if Merlin even had a preference—and then came with a grunt at the thought of Merlin jerking both of their cocks at once.

He sank slowly to the floor even as he was coming, and Merlin followed with a hand around his cock, still working him through his pleasure.

Arthur took a few deep breaths to keep from passing out as the heat and the pulsing orgasm and the damp air threatened to overwhelm him.

"Stay with me," Merlin said quietly, giving his cock a few last tugs. "Can you stand?"

"I need a minute."

Merlin grabbed Arthur's waist and pulled him up, anyway. Arthur whimpered and leaned his whole body against the wall as Merlin started smacking his ass with the birch branches again. Each hit jolted through him, making his cock twitch, making his knees jerk in threat of giving out, making him cry out a little.

He could hear Merlin breathing heavily behind him and wanted to look, wanted to watch Merlin's face when it happened, but he couldn't move. He was limp and sweating and in desperate need of a cool glass of water, and he was glued to the spot as the _banya_ attendant spanked him.

"Arthur," Merlin grunted, pressing the branches to Arthur's ass as he came on them.

When he was finished, Merlin leaned against Arthur's back and pressed a kiss to his neck.

"How was that?" he asked.

"You know exactly how it was."

Merlin chuckled and Arthur turned around quickly to get a glimpse of him smiling. Merlin hastened to school his features, but Arthur kissed him, anyway.

"You could change all of this, you know," Merlin said when Arthur pulled back.

"Merlin—"

"You need to," Merlin said, his expression stoic. "This won't be an option much longer. Gaius is starting to rent out rooms for couples. You'll—you'll have to bring your own… your own _guest_. I won't be allowed to… to service…"

Arthur cut him off with a kiss. "You know I don't have any influence over Gaius."

"You have an influence over this city. Over this country."

"I'm not that high up."

Merlin sighed and Arthur realized that Merlin knew he was lying. He wondered what else Merlin knew, how much research he had done into his clients. Or was it only Arthur he was interested in?

"You'll be here next week?" Arthur asked.

"If I haven't been arrested yet."

Arthur frowned and moved in for another kiss, but Merlin pushed him away after only a brief moment.

"It's time," he said, heading towards the door. "I'll walk you down."

Arthur followed Merlin out of their private room and down the hall to a small nook. Merlin poured two buckets of cold water over him and Arthur shivered and shuddered, sobering to the realities of the political party he'd helped to built.


End file.
